Altoona boys hoping to catch fire in District 6 playoffs

PLAYOFF PARADE: DISTRICT 6A BOYS PREVIEW

THE SCOOP: The last two seasons Altoona has opted out of the postseason, but the Mountain Lions will attempt to avenge regular-season losses to both Mifflin County and State College and hope they can capture the momentum they built while sweeping Harrisburg in Mid-Penn Commonwealth play.

DEFENDING CHAMPION: State College

PLAYERS TO WATCH: State College so. Micah James; State College so. Chase Rhoades; Mifflin County sr. Josh Hartzler; Mifflin County jr. Jack Curry; Mifflin County jr. Zach Keller; Altoona sr. Chris Wagner; Altoona sr. Malakai Shields; Altoona jr. Eliott McCloskey

MOST INTRIGUING POSSIBLE MATCHUP: Mifflin County vs. State College

SLEEPER: Mifflin County

MIRROR'S TEAM TO BEAT: State College

NUMBER OF TEAMS ADVANCING: One

WHO THEY'LL PLAY IN INTERDISTRICTS: 6/8/10-1 vs. 7-3

ANALYSIS: State College's leading scorer, junior Nick Carr, was injured during a showcase game against Exeter Township on Jan. 17 and has not played since that game. Without him, the Little Lions finished the season 3-4.

The Little Lions played against Altoona twice this year and won the first game by 44. The second meeting, with Carr still in the lineup, was much closer at 71-55.

But for the Mountain Lions to have a chance to get even closer or beat State College, they will have to get past Mifflin County, which they failed to do earlier this week. In a game at Mifflin County, where the semifinal game will be, the Huskies won by 22 points.

Meanwhile, Mifflin County is on fire with six wins in a row going into the postseason after it had lost the previous five games.

State College won last year's championship over Mifflin County, 44-40, and then lost to McDowell in the subregional. The prospects of any District 6 team getting out of the subregional don't seem too high this season, especially considering State College lost to McDowell, 68-47, on Feb. 7.